Thankful

November 20, 2017

Thanksgiving is a special time to be thankful for living in America. It is especially necessary this year as we battle the fires of a divided and partisan country that are stoked daily by modern national media outlets that are more interested in ratings than responsible positive journalism. Inflaming both sides equally like a well seasoned pharmaceutical lobbyist, they push their polarizing agenda on us even though we are mostly moderate in our beliefs and hopeful of peace and happiness.

It is time we move toward a thankful reality because we have the best country in the world despite the craziness. And I agree that it is a bit nuts now.

Thanksgiving is a time of celebrating the gifts of the harvest which in modern terms is an economically viable household where Maslow's hierarchy of needs are met and we are left to achieve goals that we set. We are not talking about wealth here. We are simply talking about food, shelter, safety and a job. The vast majority of Americans have these things. Ideally we all would have them and things would be utopian. In comparison to the greater world, however, we have so much to be thankful for. For example, over 1 in 4 humans in sub Saharan Africa live on less than 2 US dollars a day. Many places in the world are hopeful but unlucky enough to not have food on the table daily.

The early English settlers celebrated community with the Native Americans in grateful ceremonial events. We need to get back to celebrating our community, our diversity, our luck of either being born in America like myself, or being accepted as a refugee like my family. A very large majority of us are direct descendants of an immigrant family. We all have reason to be grateful every day for our existence.

A close colleague recently was involved in an serious automobile accident. These events bring the sanctity of life and its rapid shifts home. I am so grateful for her life and her healing. We never know what will befall us tomorrow. What would you do if you knew that you would die tomorrow or be significantly hurt? Would you have that fight with your spouse? Would you yell at your child? Would you go to bed without that one hug or kiss?

It is truly time for us to be grateful Americans every day, every minute and frankly every second. Hug your kids. Love them. Feed them. Teach them positive beliefs over negativity.

Take this time to pray for the suffering, the hungry, the wounded, the needy, but above all be grateful for what you have!